Why aren't figs considered vegan? • Hacker News Board

Re: Why aren't figs considered vegan?

#11

Post by devoply » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 8:59 AM UTC

Whatever makes you feel better about ruining the planet through your economic activities.

Natural suffering is normal. The suffering introduced through industrialized farming or even normal farming is not normal. That suffering can't be escaped by simply not consuming animals as all life is affected through industrialized farming of everything, organic foods included. The only way to save the planet is by eating 100% naturally sourced road kill that is 100% naturally fed and killed by chance.

Re: Why aren't figs considered vegan?

#12

Post by devoply » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 9:03 AM UTC

Fnoord wrote: post #6

gambiting wrote: post #3

Considering figs not vegan because of this is insane, frankly. If that's the standard you want to apply(the food should not have any insect parts in it) then there will be nothing for you to eat. Zero. Any kind of grain will always contain finely ground insects, in minuscule quantities but you can be 100% certain they will be there.

Insects don't contain a CNS. Therefore, insects are vegan according to my defintion of vegan. Just like the champignons (mushrooms) and jellyfish and yeast are vegan. I'm reminded about this beautiful documentary about the fig tree and her symbioses: The Queen Of Trees [1]. This is an official version. It was broadcasted on American TV, and this was ripped on BitTorrent. I can highly recommend watching this documenta…

https://invbrain.neuroinf.jp/modules/htmldocs/IVBPF/General/...

Re: Why aren't figs considered vegan?

#13

Post by rhn_mk1 » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 9:05 AM UTC

michaelt wrote: post #9

bloogsy wrote: post #7

The article touches on this, but veganism is not about only eating plants - it's actually an ethical decision to avoid anything that harms animals. As such, figs are definitely vegan since the wasp is living its natural lifecycle.

I understand what you mean, but I don't know any vegans who would eat a steak from a cow that had died of old age.

Anecdata vs anecdata, but I've met people who consider themselves vegan, while eating any kind of food destined to the trash to avoid the waste.

That kind of behaviour could easily be misunderstood, so none of them advertise it much.

Re: Why aren't figs considered vegan?

#14

Post by croisillon » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 9:08 AM UTC

michaelt wrote: post #9

bloogsy wrote: post #7

The article touches on this, but veganism is not about only eating plants - it's actually an ethical decision to avoid anything that harms animals. As such, figs are definitely vegan since the wasp is living its natural lifecycle.

I understand what you mean, but I don't know any vegans who would eat a steak from a cow that had died of old age.

I have yet to meet an omnivore who would do it

[edit: omnivore instead of carnist]

Re: Why aren't figs considered vegan?

#15

Post by cyphax » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 9:15 AM UTC

bloogsy wrote: post #7

The article touches on this, but veganism is not about only eating plants - it's actually an ethical decision to avoid anything that harms animals. As such, figs are definitely vegan since the wasp is living its natural lifecycle.

I think maybe there are different "kinds" of vegans. As in: maybe not all vegans are vegan because of the same ideology.

One vegan explained his motivations like this: he's against slavery, using animals is like a form of slavery and he's against that. Even if you treat the animal like a king; it's still not free to do its own thing. I really liked his reasoning, it seemed consistent and coming from a good place.

That logic would allow him to eat figs because it's a natural process, as you're no actor in the process of the fig forming itself.

Re: Why aren't figs considered vegan?

#16

Post by jlg23 » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 9:16 AM UTC

croisillon wrote: post #14

michaelt wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand what you mean, but I don't know any vegans who would eat a steak from a cow that had died of old age.

I have yet to meet an omnivore who would do it [edit: omnivore instead of carnist]

Visit arid Africa: eating an animal before it was /used properly/ (could be as simple as fertilizing the land here in southern Morocco) is considered wasteful.

Re: Why aren't figs considered vegan?

#17

Post by croisillon » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 9:18 AM UTC

jlg23 wrote: post #16

croisillon wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have yet to meet an omnivore who would do it [edit: omnivore instead of carnist]

Visit arid Africa: eating an animal before it was /used properly/ (could be as simple as fertilizing the land here in southern Morocco) is considered wasteful.

do they eat animals dead of old age?

Re: Why aren't figs considered vegan?

#18

Post by ma2rten » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 9:19 AM UTC

cyphax wrote: post #15

bloogsy wrote: post #7

The article touches on this, but veganism is not about only eating plants - it's actually an ethical decision to avoid anything that harms animals. As such, figs are definitely vegan since the wasp is living its natural lifecycle.

I think maybe there are different "kinds" of vegans. As in: maybe not all vegans are vegan because of the same ideology. One vegan explained his motivations like this: he's against slavery, using animals is like a form of slavery and he's against that. Even if you treat the animal like a king; it's still not free to do its own thing. I really liked his reasoning, it seemed consistent and coming from a good place. Tha…

I'm not sure what you mean by "there are different kinds of vegans". The term vegan was coined by the Vegan Society.

They have the following definition: "Veganism is a way of living that seeks to exclude, as far as possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing and any other purpose."

Re: Why aren't figs considered vegan?

#19

Post by zapzupnz » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 9:22 AM UTC

devoply wrote: post #11

Whatever makes you feel better about ruining the planet through your economic activities. Natural suffering is normal. The suffering introduced through industrialized farming or even normal farming is not normal. That suffering can't be escaped by simply not consuming animals as all life is affected through industrialized farming of everything, organic foods included. The only way to save the planet is by eating 100%…

This feels like a snarky comment that is in direct response to absolutely nothing contained within the article. Care to elaborate on your point? I don't see any link to the argument proposed by the answer highlighted by the link, but if you have one, I'd love to see it.

Re: Why aren't figs considered vegan?

#20

Post by devoply » Wed, Apr 17, 2019, 9:24 AM UTC

zapzupnz wrote: post #19

devoply wrote: post #11

Whatever makes you feel better about ruining the planet through your economic activities. Natural suffering is normal. The suffering introduced through industrialized farming or even normal farming is not normal. That suffering can't be escaped by simply not consuming animals as all life is affected through industrialized farming of everything, organic foods included. The only way to save the planet is by eating 100%…

This feels like a snarky comment that is in direct response to absolutely nothing contained within the article. Care to elaborate on your point? I don't see any link to the argument proposed by the answer highlighted by the link, but if you have one, I'd love to see it.

I read the article and found it insane that figs are not considered vegan because their natural reproductive cycle may lead to them naturally having a bug inside them... which is a natural part of that insect's life-cycle. Hence I felt the need to be critical of it.